TevaSphere Trainer Blends Meditation and Muscle In Big Apple

Trail | May 23, 2013

TevaSphere trainer, Stacy Berman’s early memories of fitness hark back to practicing Tae Kwon Do with her father. Over the years she remained committed to self-improvement that eventually led to degrees and certifications in the field. After a career as a personal trainer bound by the rules of a gym, Berman jumped ship and took her practice outside to New York’s Central Park where she held her first official Stacy’s Bootcamp.

Stacy combines a special blend of yoga workouts and some traditional exercises for her students. “The purpose of yoga is to reach a meditative place through asanas/poses. Hence, bootcamp and yoga accomplish similar goals through different paths,” she adds. “I’ve found that the two practices compliment each other in a way that elevates the physical body by offering intensity and stretching while allowing the practitioner to slow the mind. This makes for a great mind body approach to fitness.”

All of this is done in a group setting that Berman feels is beneficial for a handful of reasons:

1.) Everyone motivates each other to keep trying, after all you don’t want to be the first one to give up.

2.) In a group there will be people of all different fitness levels. You’ll see people who are more fit than you which will push you to try harder. You’ll also see people who are less fit than you which foster feelings of empathy and teamwork.

3.) Accountability: When you become part of a group you are expected to be there. When you don’t show up, believe me there is plenty of shit talk…you don’t want to be THAT guy.

The beauty of an intimate operation like Stacy’s Bootcamp is being able to see some individual change on an intimate level. One standout case is Liesbeth: “She came to me 6 months after getting a lung transplant. She started her first class on a cold February day in NYC and my main goal was to keep her moving. She could barely speak and walking was enough to exhaust her. Now, 3.5 years later she regularly competes in races, won 12th place for her age category in a 1/2 marathon and is setting a goal of competing in a tough mudder challenge,” Berman said recounting a few stories that keep her on the path of helping others help themselves.

We love this story from Teva fan Elizabeth Vera, 21, an outdoors enthusiast living in West Texas. She was on her way to hike the Guadalupe Mountains when she spotted some beautiful blue salt flats and decided to take a pit stop. Read more

The first time Seattle-native Camille Willemain, 26, touched down in Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica, she had plans to settle down in a cabin and finish her graduate school applications. Two years later and she’s still traveling, but Puerto Viejo is still the one place she calls “home.” Read more

Popular Posts

Weekend Getaways in the Bay : Teva Ambassador Elyse Bernstein finds adventure everywhere and knows how to take advantage living in the San Francisco Bay Area.0 comments | posted on 2013/11/23

Getaway: A local’s guide to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica : The first time Seattle-native Camille Willemain, 26, touched down in Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica, she had plans to settle down in a cabin and finish her graduate school applications. Two years later an...0 comments | posted on 2013/11/28

Staff Stories: Lucha VaVOOM : The Teva creative team headed to Los Angeles to indulge in some Mexican masked wrestling, burlesque and a night of fun. Why? Because it was Wednesday.0 comments | posted on 2013/11/16